This card was made for the new Makeover Monday Challenge. I used watercolor paper for the flower. I'm just learning to use watercolor techniques. I definitely want to experiment more with all kinds of watercoloring techniques and medias, but that's what is so fun about papercrafting...there's always more to explore!
The materials for this card are all Stampin' Up. I used Perfect Plum, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz for the multiple layers of cardstock.
I need comments on my blog! I'm not sure if there are no comments
because nobody wants to comment, or is there a possible problem with my blogger
settings. Who will be the first to comment, even just to say hello, I've
been to your blog???
Well, I feel like I'm really moving up in the world after submitting my first entry to the Mojo Monday Challenge. It was great fun making it. Kevin said my finished card looked
like a multi-layered cake. Well, okay, I can take that comment. It looks
different on camera than in real life. Does a card gain weight from
being behind a camera? Nah, I'm just being goofy.
Okay, here's the card. Ta da!!! I'm Sending Springtime Smiles to you...
Sending Springtime Smiles
Here's a closeup. I just love the designer paper. It's so pretty and spring-like.
I used Stampin' Up's Twitterpated for Designer Paper and card stock in
Robin Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride and Island Indigo. The stamp
sets I used were Simply Soft and Easter Blossoms.
Here is the inspiration sketch provided by Mojo Monday.
Tonight I made a light box for taking better pictures of my card creations. I found several sites on YouTube, but liked this one the best:
For my own project, instead of a box, I used several lids from Avon boxes that I taped together. I used white muslim to cover the sides. I'm pretty happy with the results. Here are some pictures of my finished.
You already saw the results from the picture I posted above. I'm pretty happy with it, but it still needs a little work. I haven't figured out all the lighting and coloring issues yet. I'm not a professional photographer or anything like that. I just like learning new stuff, and YouTube has so many great resources, it's crazy!
So, if you are a kindred stamper, send me some comments, perhaps to share how you take pictures of your creations. What works best for you?
I've never entered a challenge before Makeover Monday. I was especially attracted to MMC's non-competitive feel. But the biggest challenge that appealed to me was working from my stash. I feel like I got to rediscover so much of my stuff that I either neglected or forgot about.
I was a late starter, having made an entry for #9, but uploaded too late and missed the opportunity to post it. I finally got in for #10, #11 & #12, then skipped #13 because I am not a scrapbooker.
Anyway, here is my final entry for #14. The flag is a bit long, but so is the message. I'm going to give it to a co-worker for her birthday. Happy birthday Mary!!!
Did I mention that doing MMC helped motivate me to get a blog started? I've wanted to start so many times, but never felt I had anything good to share. So here I am, posting my first every MMC from my blog instead of Photobucket. So exciting!!!
Today I am celebrating my 18th Anniversary with my husband Kevin. We are staying in at the Mendocino Coast at the Lord's Land. We're in the Racoon Cabin.
Kevin cutting kindling for the woodburning stove.
Me and Kevin at Mendocino for our 18th Anniversary
It's been a Happy Day starting with making cards at Lower Lake Coffee with my friends Adrienne and Tuesdae.
It was Adrienne's first time making cards and Tuesdae's second.
Adrienne's cards
Tuesdae's cards
It was great meeting at the coffee shop. I was a little worried about it getting too noisy, but it was perfect. We were so engrossed in talking and working on our projects, I never even noticed people coming in and out.
I hope more people start coming to future classes. I plan to offer Card Making 101 once a month, meeting at the coffee house where we can sip coffee and work on basic skills. The cost is $7, or $5 if you bring your own adhesive. Now where can you get two hand-made cards for $7 that people will cherish and love receiving from you.
I will also have advanced classes for making more elaborate projects. These classes will be at Open Gate Church in Lower Lake and the cost will range from $10 and up. If anyone out there lives in Lake County and wants to join us, please contact me at angela@kindredstampers.com.
I'm already starting to think about Easter and Spring projects. There's just so many fun things we can do. I can't wait!
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On a personal note, tonight I went to prayer and worship practice at my new church, City Gate Church in Lower Lake. Tomorrow I'm going to play at service!
Here's one of the songs we will be doing. - O HAPPY DAY!
Tonight I worked on a couple of simple cards that would be great for
beginners to do.
Basic techniques used included stamping the sentiment, punching small hearts and piecing layers of paper together. These are all basic skills, but so foundational for card making.
The card above was made with Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake and Real Red card stock. The blue hearts are stamped on this card.
The card to the left was made with Crumb Cake, Real Red, Pretty in Pink,
Whisper White and Basic Black card stock. I punched out the hearts on
this one.
I didn't notice the little heart over the "i" until after I stamped it. Isn't it cute?
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Today I missed having my morning devotion. That means I missed reading my Bible and praying before I started going through my day. I don't like that. It's hard for me to function through the day when I haven't had a quiet time with the Lord. It's such a precious time to me and I've only recently recommitted myself to spending that time in the morning even if it means feeling extra tired during the day.
I ended up reading my Bible later in the evening and listening to a Bible study. I wanted to do this before I started my card making projects. First things first. Jesus comes first, then everything else.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Here is today's card. It's a dainty little 3x3 card. I started making it last night and finished it early this morning. I took it to work with me and set it on my computer while I worked. I love the scripture. It is so comforting.
I stamped the scripture using a Verve Stamp. The butterflies were
stamped using the Elementary Elegance Stamp Set from Stampin Up.
Most
everything I use is from Stampin Up, so unless otherwise indicated, just know it's from Stampin Up. The card base is Whisper White and the
scripture message is mounted on Poppy Parade. The designer paper is from
the Everyday Enchantment sale-a-bration collection.
I colored the butterflies using markers in So Saffron, Baja Breeze and Poppy Parade. After inking up the stamp, I promptly blew on it before applying to the card stock. This helps keep the ink moist. I attached the butterflies to the card using glue dots.
Yesterday I received my new camera that I ordered through Amazon. My old Kodak EasyShare Z760 broke about a month ago after Kevin accidentally ran over it with our Volvo. My new camera is a Canon Power Shot A1200 which I promptly installed with new batteries and was ready to take my first picture of my cat Timmy. Well, I had dutifully attached the wrist band to the camera and Timmy thought it was a toy. After seeing the dangling wrist band, Timmy swatted the camera out of my hand and it fell crashing to the floor and broke! I was so upset. I had the camera for less than an hour and it was already broken.
After several minutes of being fully upset, looking over the warranty and realizing I could not return the camera to Amazon, I just started fiddling with the misaligned lens and prayed that it could be fixed. By the grace of God, the lens popped back into alignment and it was fixed! Praise God! I was so happy. It obviously works, because I've been using it to take these pictures.
This is a picture of Timmy taken with my old camera. He's a good hunter and has fast claws. I was so mad after he swatted my camera, but of course it was not his fault. We've since made up.
Here is my cat Fluffy keeping me company in my craft room.
Here is our third kitty. His name is Buddy. He is a big male terror. I'm sure you'll hear more Buddy stories as time goes on.
Here's the song that's been in my head. I hope you like it.
Just a quick share of 3x3 thank you cards I made last week for people who ordered Avon from me. Yes, I sell Avon. So far selling Avon has been the easiest direct sales endeavor I've done. It pretty much sells itself. I just try to give good customer service and give the brochures to anyone who wants one.
Here's my Avon website - in case you want to order! Shipping is FREE if you order $30 or more, or only $3 if you order less than that. That's pretty cheap! And everything goes on sale, so you can't go wrong. Go to youravon.com/angela247.
Whew! I'm finally here. Ready to start blogging. I've had so many false starts and was ready to give up. But I finally got to where I need to be. So here goes nothing. Blogging World, here I come!
Makeover Monday Challenge (MMC)
I'll start by sharing my Makeover Monday Challenge (MMC) entries. I love MMC. Andrea Walford is so generous with her tutorials. I love how she challenges you to work from your stash. I find myself digging through my supplies and finding treasures that were becoming neglected. Thanks to Andrea Walford and Paper Crafter's Library, my stash is being rediscovered and put to use.
I also like how Andrea presents the challenge as a "self-challenge" that doesn't feel at all competitive.
Plus there's an opportunity to win something through the weekly drawing! Maybe I'll be the next winner (this isn't being competitive, is it?)
Here is my first entry to the challenge - MMC #10
This is my second entry - MMC #11
And most recent entry - MMC #12
Saturday's card class
I've been card making for over a year now and have pretty much gotten over feeling like a novice. I guess my stockpile of supplies puts me at the "intermediate" level. I even give classes! Saturday I had two people making Valentine's cards with me. It was great fun. Here are the cards we made.
Card # 1 - Be My Valentine
This was the first card we made. The card was originally created by Angie Kennedy and I made several of them last year by following her wonderful tutorial. I gave my "students" an already folded 3-fold card. They stamped the heart with the rock n roll technique, stamped and cut out the salutation, added brads and sponged the edges like mad. They did a really excellent job for their first time at it.
Card # 2 - Multi-Level Pop Up card
I wanted this card to be fun. You have to see it in action. The idea is to have a fairly "so so" card front, then open it up to a big surprise of "pop-ups". It was a little bit complicated to make as a "first" card, but my students were such troopers. They did it and even said it was fun for them. I love it!
